US Domestic News Roundup: Biden to nominate economist Shambaugh as U.S. Treasury's int'l chief; White House asks Congress for $6.4 billion for Ukraine crisis and more

Jackson's nomination fulfills a campaign promise Biden made two years ago to the day to deliver the historic appointment. Trump New York criminal probe has new prosecutor after lawyers quit A new prosecutor has been chosen to lead a criminal probe into former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Manhattan district attorney's office said on Friday, after the departures of two top lawyers threw the investigation's future into question.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Biden to nominate economist Shambaugh as U.S. Treasury's int'l chief

U.S. President Joe Biden will nominate Jay Shambaugh, a George Washington University professor and former Obama administration economic adviser, as the U.S. Treasury's next undersecretary for international affairs, the White House said on Friday. Biden also will nominate William Duncan as ambassador to El Salvador and Lesslie Viguerie as ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, the White House said. Both are career Foreign Service officers.

White House asks Congress for $6.4 billion for Ukraine crisis

The White House asked Congress on Friday to approve $6.4 billion in aid to address the Ukraine crisis after an invasion by Russia, including $2.9 billion in security and humanitarian assistance and $3.5 billion for the Department of Defense, Biden administration and congressional aides said. "In a recent conversation with lawmakers, the administration identified the need for additional U.S. humanitarian, security, and economic assistance to Ukraine and Central European partners due to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion," an official from the White House Office of Management and Budget said.

Trump condemns Russia invasion; hints again at 2024 presidential run

Former President Donald Trump condemned on Saturday Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said he was praying for Ukrainians, switching tone from his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. Trump's remarks at the CPAC conservative gathering in Florida came hours after the United States and allies announced sweeping new sanctions that would kick some Russian banks off the main global payments systems and limit the ability of Russia's central bank to support the rouble.

U.S. House panel expands probe of Trump's handling of documents

A U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating former President Donald Trump's removal of classified documents from the White House has expanded its probe of the Republican's handling of records, according to a letter made public on Friday. Representative Carolyn Maloney, the Democratic chair of the House Oversight Committee, wrote to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) asking for more information about what she described as "what appear to be the largest-scale violations of the presidential records act since its enactment."

U.S. senator says Republicans only deserve to govern if they adopt his agenda

A prominent Senate Republican said on Saturday that his party would not deserve to govern after November's midterm elections unless it was willing to adopt his controversial agenda that has rankled some Republicans and drawn attacks from Democrats. Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told an audience of conservatives in Orlando, Florida, that his 11-point "Rescue America" plan is needed to preserve the country against what he described as an onslaught of "woke" policies from the left.

Exxon Texas refinery lockout to end on March 7

Exxon Mobil Corp said a 10-month lockout of union workers at a southeast Texas refinery would end on March 7 following acceptance of a return-to-work agreement on Saturday. "Employees will return to work beginning March 7, 2022, with their exact date of return depending on their normally scheduled shift," the company said in a message to employees on Saturday afternoon.

Biden approves $350 million in military aid for Ukraine

President Joe Biden instructed the U.S. State Department to release up to an additional $350 million worth of weapons from U.S. stocks to Ukraine on Friday as it struggles to repulse a Russian invasion. In a memorandum to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden directed that $350 million allocated through the Foreign Assistance Act be designated for Ukraine's defense.

Texas police-shooting victim featured in Reuters qualified immunity series dies

David Collie, a Fort Worth, Texas, man whose bid to hold police liable for shooting him in the back and leaving him paralyzed was blocked by the legal doctrine known as qualified immunity, has died at age 38. The cause of death has not been determined, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office, pending the outcome of an autopsy.

Biden picks Ketanji Brown Jackson as historic U.S. Supreme Court nominee

President Joe Biden on Friday nominated federal appellate judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, saying it was time for America's top judicial body to reflect "the full talents and greatness of our nation." Biden picked Jackson, 51, for a lifetime job on the high court to succeed retiring liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, setting up a confirmation battle in the closely divided Senate. Jackson's nomination fulfills a campaign promise Biden made two years ago to the day to deliver the historic appointment.

Trump New York criminal probe has new prosecutor after lawyers quit

A new prosecutor has been chosen to lead a criminal probe into former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Manhattan district attorney's office said on Friday, after the departures of two top lawyers threw the investigation's future into question. Susan Hoffinger will now lead the probe into Trump and the practices of his family business, the Trump Organization, according to Danielle Filson, a spokeswoman for Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney.

(With inputs from agencies.)